


dream 26 or The Misthios and the Vase

by misthios-managed (horsyunicorn)



Series: I Dreamed of an Eagle [3]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Action, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 13:55:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21180545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/horsyunicorn/pseuds/misthios-managed
Summary: Kassandra completes a simple quest with the aid of Enyo, and spends a night with her along the way.There is a fight scene in this part, but it's not heavy on details or blood.





	dream 26 or The Misthios and the Vase

Kassandra set the vase down carefully and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “This is really heavy. What could be in here?”

Enyo leaned in, poking her slightly pointy nose closer to the vase. “What does it smell like? Is it an offering to the gods?”

Her hands free, Kassandra rolled her shoulders to stretch them and eased her neck side to side. In anticipation of having to deal with bandits - and being away from the Adrestia - she wore a full set of armour: an old, battered maroon battleplate with square shoulderplates, dark brown banded gauntlets cushioned with fur, a brown leather belt, and studded metal boots – as well as her Amazonian circlet. Her armour was heavy and gave her a fairly masculine look, but thanks to its fur padding it was in fact one of her most comfortable sets. Enyo was wearing her usual polished steel armour over a green and yellow tunic.

Kassandra had picked up the job on a bounty board, finding a woman named Phaenna, who needed the vase delivered to another woman, named Hermione, who lived in the village across the nearby river. She would make the journey herself (she had said), but bandits often ambushed travellers crossing the river.

“The last time I took a job like this, it DID smell like flowers and similar offerings to the gods,” replied Kassandra, “but it turned out to be wine for a party on the beach.”  
“An impromptu party on the beach?”  
“A _planned_ party on the beach, with half a dozen soldiers. There were… mushrooms. And… a big wooden horse.” Kassandra gestured with her hands to indicate a horse of unusual size, unwilling to elaborate further. She had no wish to recount the feeling of waking up on that beach after eating the mushrooms. She picked up the vase and they continued walking, and shortly came into town.

The bleached white walls and terracotta roofs were turning wine-dark in the twilight. Adults were calling out for their children, or variously chastising goats and chickens into pens and yards. Vendors packed up their wares or drifted toward the taverns; the populace gradually moved inside with a healthy hubbub, and the good scent of wine and roasting meat drifted from open doorways.

“It’s getting dark. We should find somewhere to rest.” said Enyo.  
“It’s fiiine,” said Kassandra, rolling her shoulders since her hands were carrying the vase. “I often travel by night. Bandits tend to be asleep, so it’s easier to sneak past them.”  
“Well… just in case there are bandits – it is better that you do not travel at night. You do not want to be surprised and drop that vase. Or have it smashed in the confusion of a fight.”

Kassandra stared at Enyo for a long moment, eyes narrowed slightly, trying to gauge her motivation for stopping when she herself would usually just continue travelling. Enyo returned her look with a steady gaze and slightly raised eyebrows.

“Fine. We’ll find somewhere to stay.” Saying it as if it were her own idea made Kassandra feel better.

They passed the village square and the bounty board. A tired rooster stared at them from atop a statue of Apollo.

“Do you know anyone who lives in this town?” asked Enyo.  
“Actually, I don’t think I’ve even been through this town before.”  
“Kassandra? Kassandra! Over here!” A petite blonde woman was waving at them excitedly from the front of a narrow two-storey house. Wearing a simple grey dress, she had hair pulled back into a simple coif, and was holding a straw broom. She had clearly just been sweeping her doorstep. She set aside the broom on a wall and she greeted them.

“Aura!” Kassandra set the vase down on a stack of firewood and clasped the shorter woman’s hands in both of her own. “It’s lovely to see you again!”  
“Who is your friend?” asked Aura.  
“This is my, ah,” began Kassandra…  
“-Lieutenant. Enyo.” said Enyo smoothly.  
“It is very nice to meet you.” replied Aura.  
“Likewise,” replied Enyo, smiling down at her.

“What are you doing here, misthios?” Aura asked, hand on hip.  
“I’m delivering a vase from someone in the previous village, to someone else in the next village. I hear bandits are after it so we’re being very careful and not travelling by night,” explained Kassandra.  
“Also, we decided to stop because some people like things such as food and sleep,” added Enyo, with a sliver of inflection in her voice.

“Would you stay and have dinner with me?” offered Aura.  
“We shouldn’t trouble you-“ started Kassandra  
“That would be wonderful, Aura, thank you” said Enyo sweetly. Kassandra quickly gave her a dirty look, that Enyo apparently took to mean she was very hungry, as she let her go first and gently pushed her inside with a hand on her back. They went inside Aura’s tiny house to eat.

“We won’t impose on you after dinner.” Stated Kassandra.  
“Don’t be silly, you’re welcome to stay here overnight. It’s nothing compared to how you helped me with those soldiers last year.”  
“Oh? How did you help her, Kassandra?” asked Enyo politely, as they helped Aura set the table.  
“A group of Athenian soldiers from the local camp were harassing me and the other women, before the Spartans came in and took over.”  
“You must tell me the full story,” said Enyo, smiling over her cup of wine.

*

After finishing dinner, Enyo and Kassandra retired to Aura’s spare room, which in fact made up the entirety of the upper storey of her very compact house. A long low table graced one wall, topped by a single candle; the rest of the small room was filled by a narrow bed topped by a few cushions heaped under the solitary window.

Enyo leaned her shield on the wall. Kassandra stared at the bed, which was barely wider than her muscular frame. “I’ll sleep on the roof!” she announced, turning on her heel and making for the door.

“Non-sense, we can share,” Enyo grabbed Kassandra’s hand and tugged on it to stop her leaving. She drew her back into the room.  
“We can…share?” Kassandra drew closer to Enyo.  
“Yes, dear one.” There was the faintest of *clinks* as Kassandra’s armour touched Enyo’s, and the faintest of smiles on Enyo’s face as she gave Kassandra a swift kiss on the lips.

Enyo’s arms found their accustomed place around Kassandra’s waist; Kassandra looped her arms around Enyo’s neck and rested them on her armour.

Kassandra went in for the next kiss. Their lips touched for three, four, five long seconds before Enyo drew away. Kassandra went in for a third kiss, wanting to confirm if Enyo had the same taste as the last time they had kissed, onboard the Adrestia when Barnabas had been painting the map on deck. Leaning in, lips parted slightly, she found Enyo’s lower lip. She pushed against it gently, but didn’t find Enyo’s tongue in response.

“Um, we should take off our armour.” Said Kassandra, staring at Enyo’s collarbone and blushing.

Enyo’s hands found the buckle on Kassandra’s sword belt.

“I can… do that.” stated Kassandra lamely as Enyo deftly unclipped the belt. She reached behind Kassandra, holding the attached quiver, scabbard, bow and spear so it didn’t drop to the floor, in the process allowing Kassandra’s nose to slide along her jaw and into her neck. Enyo’s skin had a friendly, sweet scent. Kassandra wondered if the rest of here smelled like that, and found herself blushing again.

Enyo set the weapons on the table carefully and returned her attention to Kassandra’s gauntlets.

“They’re… wrapped quite tightly. I’ll… show you how to…” Kassandra whispered.

Enyo let Kassandra guide her hands over the leather bands that held her gauntlets in place. Kassandra stared, engrossed, at Enyo’s fingers, which were longer and slimmer than her own, and callused from wielding a sword and shield. For some reason, she couldn’t look up at Enyo. She couldn’t think of what the other woman’s expression might be.

Enyo undid the straps on the gauntlets and removed them. Holding them in the crook of her arm, she ran her hands over Kassandra’s forearms. Her fingertips traced over Kassandra’s skin: first the inside, then the outside, then back over the inside of her forearms. Kassandra marvelled at the sensation as she felt Enyo’s calluses trace over her veins. Enyo’s left hand travelled up to the triple claw mark on Kassandra’s right tricep. Her fingertips traced slowly over the raised scar tissue of the three long marks. Her right hand teased out the long blunt scar on her right shoulder… she gently squeezed Kassandra’s upper arms reassuringly.

Kassandra stole a glance at Enyo’s face. Enyo’s eyes were soft, and in the candlelight, shone like quiet, beryl stars. Kassandra resisted the urge to bring her hand to Enyo’s face; but Enyo seemed to read her mind anyway, bringing the back of Kass’s hand to her mouth, and brushing the it ever so gently across her lips, making the tiny hairs on the back of Kassandra’s fingers tingle. Kassandra let out a heavy breath.

The padding on the gauntlets, or their cushioning effect on Kassandra’s forearms at least, seemed to meet Enyo’s approval. She put them aside and pulled Kassandra down onto the bed. Balancing Kassandra across her lap, she got to work unlacing Kassandra’s boots. Kassandra watched Enyo’s hands intently, keenly aware of the sensation of Enyo’s thighs on which she was sitting. Enyo was completely focused on undoing the leather straps on Kassandra’s boots, which Kassandra had triple-knotted in anticipation of having to travel all day.

Enyo slipped Kass’s second boot off. Kassandra swung her left leg up and over so she could face Enyo fully. Enyo caressed Kass’s breastplate and let her hands pause on the epaulette fastenings. She leaned in to undo the left one…paused to looked up at Kassandra…. then looked down to undo the right one.

Enyo’s hands found the sides of Kass’s armour, as if trying to feel for her ribs underneath. Kassandra allowed herself to be completely engrossed in Enyo’s face. Kassandra studied her long, slightly pointy nose; she looked over her curved eyebrows in wonder, and her lips which were thinner than Kassandra’s, stretched across her remarkable, wide mouth.

Kassandra let Enyo’s hands locate the three leather buckles that fastened her armour at the side.

Enyo had to pull her armour ever so slightly tight to get each one off. One – two – and three – each one with a tiny *huff* of air from Kassandra. She lifted the epaulettes over Kassandra’s shoulders and pulled the breastplate off her. Kassandra did a little wiggle to help get it off. Enyo half-turned and leaned it on the wall.

Before she could stop herself, Kassandra’s hands were going to her waist to undo her own belt buckle. Enyo’s met hers there, and, with a little smile, Enyo guided her hands back up to her neck. Enyo unhooked her belt and Kassandra wiggled again to make sure her belt tassels weren’t stuck underneath her, making her butt rub against Enyo’s legs. Enyo smirked ever so slightly. She set the belt down on the floor, producing an extremely suggestive clunk from Kassandra’s travel pouch.

Not wanting to divert Enyo’s attention with an explanation of the dozens of pieces of jewellery, broken weapons, and random pieces of fruit she kept in the extremely heavy bag, Kass kicked it rather unceremoniously, and it rolled into a corner with another loud clunk. Very graciously, Enyo ignored it and applied her attention to Kassandra, her gaze taking in Kassandra’s red tunic and shiny circlet.

Kassandra returned her gaze steadily; she now intended to give Enyo at least the same attention that she had been shown in helping take off her armour.

But Enyo swiftly twisted off her steel bracers, kicked off her boots, pulled loose the single knot on her breastplate and shrugged out of her armour, and unhooked her sword belt and raven skirt in ten seconds flat.

“Hmph.” Said Kassandra, not a little disappointed.

Enyo had spent the whole day inside her armor; without it, her attractive honey scent redoubled. Kassandra felt something inside her cry out in desire. She barely noticed that the small yellow spots on the green background of Enyo’s tunic were in fact tiny sunflowers. Enyo was indeed taller than her and had longer limbs and wider shoulders.

Enyo wrapped her arms around Kassandra’s waist and drew her in again. Her lips moved across Kass’s; but this time Kass felt her abs against her own through their tunics; she felt Enyo’s chest, warm and soft, against hers, and she hadn’t been quite ready for it. Her arms froze for a good three seconds as she processed the new sensations running across her body, then she relaxed somewhat - though still thinking very much about Enyo’s abs - and put her arms around Enyo’s neck, where they were immediately lost in her hair.

Kass was working her tongue across Enyo’s lips again; but Enyo’s gaze flickered up to Kassandra’s circlet as if remembering what had happened the last time they were this close.

Kassandra guessed her meaning and reluctantly stopped playing with her hair. She tugged at her Amazonian circlet one way and then another until it cleared her hair, and pulled the circlet off her head. She dangled it on one arm, keeping a firm arm around Enyo’s waist while the taller woman lifted her own circlet straight up and back slightly before tossing her head slightly, side to side, to get the longer strands fully through. Kassandra set both circlets on the table carefully.

Enyo’s forehead looked weirdly large without her circlet, though it was perfectly tanned underneath. Kassandra immediately wanted to kiss it all over. She briefly glanced at the tan lines on her own forearms and calves with envy. Kass mentally shook her head and resolutely applied herself to Enyo’s hair again. She carded both of her hands through it – it was straggly and slightly wild without the circlet holding it together, and wonderfully long. She was pleased to find it still had an attractive cinnamon-like scent as the previous time she had been this close to her. Enyo played with Kass’s braid, bringing it to her face and feeling its weight and coils, as if toying with the idea of unwrapping every tress and uncoiling every curl. Kass shivered briefly at the thought of getting that sort of attention from Enyo. But she was not sure she could stand to wait that much longer, and Enyo seemed to agree – she was running one hand over Kass’s neck and down the back of her tunic and the other up Kass’s thigh toward her hip.

Kassandra withdrew her hands from Enyo’s hair and started pulling off her tunic. Enyo readily helped and it went up and over Kass’s head. Kass saw Enyo’s gaze rove over her abs, her thighs, her bare shoulders. Kass reached for Enyo’s tunic at the waist; Enyo gracefully wound it up across her torso, and pulled it off in one smooth movement. Her hair went through last and it fell back down into place and sent another wave of her good cinnamon scent over Kassandra.

Blushing again, Kassandra stared at Enyo’s cloth underwear, immediately noticing the way it hugged the curves on her body. It was darker than Kass’s, but otherwise similar, which was good, because she didn’t think she could handle removing anything complicated right now. Enyo’s hands were making ovals over her thighs; Kassandra hesitantly put her hands to Enyo’s sides. Her hips were slightly wider and higher than Kassandra’s; her belly had a little bulge to it. In the candlelight, she looked so soft and inviting; though she had some muscle, her skin was even softer under Kass’s hands.

Enyo’s hands were doing Kass’s favourite thing again – one wrapped secured around her waist, the other going up and down her back , except now there was nothing between Enyo’s long fingers and the skin of her back. Kass shivered every time that hand came close to her bra; then shivered again as Enyo delicately ran over her bra to go from her nape up into her hair.

Kassandra stared into Enyo’s big, emerald eyes, trying to convey her thoughts soundlessly, since her hands didn’t seem to be working. Enyo returned her gaze, her hands straying closer to Kassandra’s butt.

Rather abruptly, Enyo withdrew her hands. “We should sleep early, for travelling tomorrow. Goodnight.” Nudging Kass off her lap, Enyo turned away, leaned over the candle and blew it out. The room fell into shades of dark evening blue. She settled on her side of the bed, lying on her side facing away from Kassandra, and pulled a blanket over herself. And that seemed to be that.

Kassandra was left staring dumbly at Enyo’s back. Had she done something wrong? She did not feel tired; nor was she remotely ready to rest after spending all that time exploring Enyo’s body, and having the sensation of Enyo caressing her neck and arms. She briefly bunched up her fists, scrunching up the blanket beneath her. But Enyo seemed unreachably prepared for sleep, so sleep was the only thing Kassandra could do now.

Eyes cast downward, she turned and laid on her back, right arm jammed against the wall so she had zero chance of touching Enyo and disturbing her.

It was true, they needed to rest. That was sensible. So why did her body feel like a drawn bow, taut with tension from her shoulders all the way down to her feet?

She considered finding a blanket in this unfamiliar, dark, tiny room, but she was more likely to fall asleep if she was cooler rather than warm, and it was quite a warm night.

She closed her eyes, focused on her breathing, and tried to slip into a meditative state. But she was honestly used to having her armour on and being in a sitting rather than lying down position, for that. There was no way she could put on her tunic and armour without disturbing Enyo, never mind in the dark.

She opened her eyes, then blinked several times. Having them open or shut seemed to make little difference, the night was so dark. (Somewhere in the back of her mind, a little eagle-shaped voice said “there is no moon tonight. It was a good idea not to travel in the dark.”) She shut her eyes, and ran through a mental checklist to see if busying her mind would allow her to sleep: She had to buy more obsidian for the Adrestia’s upgrades. She had to negotiate the shifts for her two lieutenants Nora the Snow Leopard and Korinne the Sea Witch who had been rivals in their mercenary days, and who couldn’t stand being in each others’ presence. She had to find a new sword-belt for Andrina the Huntress, who was used to being able to hunt for herself and was now asking for the leather to make the sword-belt on her own… no, it wasn’t working.

She rolled onto her left side and stared hard at Enyo’s back – an inch from her nose – which was only barely visible as a hazy shade of greyish blue in the overall midnight blue-coloured whole world. She imagined pressing her face into it, feeling the muscles beneath the smooth skin, being surrounded – submerged - in her wholesome honey scent.

She balled her fists, rolled onto her right side, crossed her arms and made a determined effort to go to sleep.

It lasted for all of seven seconds.

Sighing, she reached out, blindly, with her arms and legs; doing her utmost not to disturb Enyo; she found a cushion, clutched it to her chest, and squashed it in her arms. Once again facing the wall, she tried to get to sleep. It was no good.

Kass let out an involuntary sob that she hastily stifled. She felt Enyo shift on the bed beside her.

Determined not to let herself cry, Kass sniffed – extremely quietly – and tried to settle down to sleep.

She felt Enyo’s hand on her hip. She gave it a moment’s thought then went back to determinedly clenching her fists under the cushion and her crossed forearms. If Enyo was going to treat her dismissively, then she would respond in kind.

Enyo’s hand slid up to her elbow. Kassandra continued to clench her arms against any intrusive hand or thought.

Enyo’s hand was now on her shoulder. It felt… oddly soft. Was it Enyo’s hand?

Curiosity overcoming her stubbornness, Kass turned her torso and head very slowly. It wasn’t Enyo’s hand. It was her mouth. Enyo was, very softly, tracing her lips over Kassandra’s shoulder. She could feel the individual fine hairs on Enyos’ face as she moved in slow circular motions. As soon as she realised what she was doing, Kassandra felt a wave of warmth flood her body, liquefying the tension in her spine.

Enyo had paused, and was watching her, silently. Kassandra strained to discern her eyes in the darkness. The moment seemed to stretch for eternity.

Then Enyo leaned closer and pushed her lips onto the corner of Kassandra’s mouth. Kassandra turned to face her fully, opening her mouth to gasp some air in – she hadn’t realised she’d been holding her breath. Kass reached up to cradle Enyo’s cheek in her hand. Enyo’s hand found her chin; there was a warm glorious sensation which Kassandra realised, after thirty seconds, was Enyo’s tongue, gently going over Kassandra’s teeth, one by one. Kassandra moaned oh so quietly as Enyo withdrew her tongue. Kass fitted her lips to Enyo’s and gently explored her mouth. She tasted incredible – something like her honey smell, but also more fruity, like a perfectly sun-ripened fig – better, Kassandra thought, than the last time they had been this close. Kassandra’s other hand found Enyo’s side, and she was startled by how warm she was.

Kassandra needed to tell Enyo how she felt. She took Enyo’s hand and guided it onto her chest, letting it press against her heart, feeling her heartbeat. Enyo relinquished her exploration of Kassandra’s mouth for a moment and lay there, her hot breath roving over Kassandra’s lips, a fraction of an inch away in the darkness.

Enyo moved down and started kissing Kassandra on the neck.

Kassandra guided Enyo’s hand from her chest, down her midsection, across her navel, to sit on the edge of her underwear. She left it rest there for a moment.

Enyo was still doing ridiculously soft things to her neck. Kassandra pulled away, and tried to look directly into her eyes in the darkness. She squeezed Enyo’s hand reassuringly.

Enyo gently squished her nose against Kass’s. She asked, ever so softly:

“Yes?”

It was a question, but not an inquiry.

Kassandra smiled through her tears in the dark and replied: “Yes.”

* 

There was an eagle calling somewhere, the note high and clear, very distant. It seemed like it was important, but Kassandra was groggy, and warm, and comfortable. Extremely comfortable. Except for her left arm.

Her arm felt like it was made of lead. She couldn’t move it, and had barely any feeling in it. Worried, Kassandra rubbed her eyes vigorously with her right hand, opened her eyes, and grimaced at the bright daylight, filtered through something. 

It was Enyo’s feathered-armour skirt. Kassandra lifted it off her face, which was good because she could now see, but also sad because she had been using it as a pillow against the hard wall unconsciously.

Enyo was sleeping on her arm. She was using it as a pillow! She was curled up on it, facing away from Kassandra. That was why it felt like it was dead.

Kassandra reddened as she took in the rest of Enyo’s sleeping, nude form. Even though they had been intimate last night, she was rather embarrassed at seeing Enyo without her clothes in daylight. Plus, she was always a bit awkward around Enyo, anyway.

“Nono. Wake up. Come on, wake up. Wakey time now,” said Kassandra, lamely, in an attempt to get Enyo to stop sleeping on her arm. Enyo didn’t budge. Kassandra considered hitting her with a cushion, but she didn’t really want to do that. There was no telling how a former mercenary would instinctively respond to such violence. Kassandra tried to move her left arm a bit, to see if that would wake Enyo.

“Come on. It’s time to get up!... Please.”

Moving her arm had an effect: Enyo murmured “five more minutes…” and rolled over into Kassandra, smooshing her face into Kassandra’s ribs, using now her entire body as a pillow.

“Ah. That’s. Not, um…” Kassandra said, into Enyo’s lovely hair, which was just everywhere. She really wished she had a nickname for Enyo – something that would wake her up instantly. Why didn’t she have a cute nickname for Enyo?

Kassandra rubbed some feeling back into her arm. It wasn’t that bad, she thought. Perhaps she would have pins and needles in that arm in an hour’s time. After that, the real pain would begin.

The eagle called again, more insistent this time. It was closer nearby. Kassandra sat up in bed (Enyo still hugging her around the midsection) and tried to see out the small window. It was too high up to see the street, though, so she would have to go downstairs to investigate the sound.

She bent down and started trailing her fingers through Enyo’s hair, stroking her across her head and down her neck.

After a while Enyo murmured something that sounded like "sandra", and shifted her position, loosening her hold somewhat.

Kassandra took the opportunity to push a cushion into her arms, freeing her torso and legs from Enyo, and started casting around for her clothes. This took longer than she expected, especially since she eventually discovered that Enyo was lying on her underwear (whilst Enyo’s underwear had ended up in the corner draped over her bag). She hurriedly pulled her tunic on over her head and picked up her spear, and hastened downstairs, braid dancing.

A curious scene greeted her eyes. Ikaros was perched on the vase, calling to her; while Aura was attempting to approach him, cautiously offering some pitkes in her hand. There were a few morsels of the flatbread lying in the dirt at the base of the vase.

“I’m HERE Ikaros.” Said Kassandra to the impatient bird. To Aura she said: “He only eats meat. He won’t take any bread.”  
“Oh! Well I thought I would still try to be friendly. Would you like breakfast, Kassandra?”  
“Thank you, Aura.” Kassandra hadn’t intended to sleep until the sun was so high, and the warm pitkes fresh from the baker were a welcome offering for her growling stomach. She had just taken a bite of one when Enyo strolled out the door, fully armoured, shield already on her back, adjusting her sword-belt. She noticed Ikaros and gestured.  
“Did you leave the vase outside last night? The super-important vase? Outside, all of last night?”  
“Hooow… how did you get drethed so quickly?” replied Kassandra, around a mouthful of bread, unwilling to confirm that she had left the super-important vase all night.

Ikaros trilled.

“She _did_ leave the vase outside all night?”  
“Don’t pretend you can understand Ikaros. Only I can do that. And Phobos.” Said Kassandra, sticking a slightly floury nose in the air.  
“Why don’t you go get dressed.” Said Enyo, accepting a pitke from Aura.

Kassandra headed back inside and upstairs. She put the spear back on her quiver; neatened her hair with her fingers and jammed her circlet back on. She buckled on her belt, lifted her battleplate over her head and did the three side buckles up. She shoved on her boots and gauntlets, double-knotting them, drew her quiver/sword belt up over her right shoulder and buckled it tight, then tied her epaulette fastenings over the top. She reached around to her back and felt the spear was in place; tapped her sword to make sure it was there, and jiggled side-to-side briefly to check her bow was on her back.

She wished she could have stayed in bed longer with Enyo. She’d felt so nice! Even though she’d ended up cutting off all the blood to her arm. She rubbed her triceps distractedly. Looking mournfully at the bed, she recalled their night-time activities; then knelt down and rearranged the blankets and cushions so it didn’t look like a chicken had rampaged through the room in search of food.

She hurried downstairs, eager to get the vase off her hands and collect her reward. Enyo was standing in the yard with a handsome horse. (Aura, who had never ridden a horse, was clutching her broom for safety.) It took a moment for Kassandra to register that it was, in fact, her horse.

“You called Phobos.”  
“Yes! It will be faster to ride to the next village.” Explained Enyo.  
“Nono. How. How, did you call Phobos?” Kassandra raised her arms questioningly, her left arm still lethargic.  
“I whistled.”  
“Phobos responds only to _my_ whistle.”  
“Well, I asked Ikaros, very nicely, and he fetched him for me. And Phobos likes apples.”

Kass stared at her, dumbfounded, wishing she’d had a wash this morning, or at the very least a damp cloth to wipe her face and allow her to feel properly awake. She shook her head slightly, prepared to dismiss the matter. “I’m… trying to ease him off the apples.” Was all she could think to say, rather lamely.

Enyo easily jumped up to sit upon Phobos. “Come on, off we go.”  
Kassandra pointed. “We can’t take Phobos. I can’t hold the reins and the vase at the same time. You’d have to steer, but you’d be behind me, you’d get poked by my spear.”  
“What if I sat in front?”  
“If you sit in front, I’ll be holding the vase and I’ll have no way to hold on to you. Plus, your shield would be in the way, anyway. This,” Kassandra gestured with a flourish, “is not going to work.”  
Enyo looked slightly crestfallen. “Alright.” She hopped off Phobos and patted him on the rump. He obediently started trotting off toward the nearest stables.

Kassandra turned to Aura. “Thank you, for your hospitality. Here,” she reached into her bag and produced a small jar of honey, “I know it’s your favourite!”  
Aura took the honey with a small but delighted smile. “Thank you, misthios. Safe journey!” She waved goodbye as Kassandra hefted the vase into her arms and led the way out of the village.

They set a brisk walking pace and travelled mostly in silence except for polite conversation which mostly about Aura’s cooking. Out of the village and approaching the bridge over the anticipated river, Kassandra finally thought she could broach the subject of last night’s events.

“So did you, ah, have a good time last night?”  
“I had a nice dinner. Though I had somewhat… interrupted...sleep.” Replied Enyo, with a straight face, her gaze directed forward on the road ahead.  
“Because you can only sleep with two cushions?? I’ve seen you sleep on the Adrestia. You sleep on deck just fine.”  
“That’s wood, that’s different. It does different things to my back.”  
“Oh really? Does sleeping in a bed also mean you have to steal the blanket -”  
“Only after you took all three cushions -”  
“-twice?”  
“Well, I was feeling rather cold after _someone_,” Enyo rolled her eyes up at a fish-shaped cloud floating serenely in the sky, “wouldn’t cuddle after I gave her rather a lot of attention.”  
“I couldn’t lie on my side after what you did to me! With your fingers and your tongue, and,” said Kassandra, before she realised what she was saying and blushed furiously. 

They walked on silence apart from the sound of Kassandra shifting her grip on the vase. 

“You enjoyed it, though.” Said Enyo.  
“Well… yes…” replied Kassandra, quietly, looking down at her boots, with still some pink in her cheeks. 

They walked in silence for a long moment, navigating the slightly muddy stretch up to the bridge.

“I had a pleasurable night, too, Kassandra,” said Enyo, softly, but earnestly.

They walked on, though Enyo had a bit of a smile, and Kassandra had a slight spring in her step.

The road on the other side of the bridge narrowed between a hill on one side and a wood on the other. It was a good place for an ambush. Kassandra turned to Enyo and nodded. Enyo drew her sword and slipped away in a crouch into some nearby bushes.

Kassandra continued walking along the road. She hoped the bandits, if there were any, would attack soon – the vase was starting to feel very heavy.

The sun peeked out from in-between the trees; the occasional bird sang, and small animals made rustlings in the grass. Anyone ordinary might not have noticed anything wrong, but Kassandra could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. She had no doubt an ambush was coming.

Trees started appearing on the other side of the road as well as the land levelled out. The forest actually thinned out a bit, allowing more sunlight to shine through; but at the next turn in the road, Kassandra heard footsteps behind her, then in front. Four bandits came out from bushes next to the road; two out from behind trees behind her.

“Well, what do we have here?” said their leader, a big, broad man with a mace slung over his shoulder. “A traveller, hoping to meet good fortune along the way?” Somehow his keen tactical eye totally missed Kassandra’s full armour and sword.

Kassandra set the vase down carefully and drew her weapons.

“Oh a misthios I see! Well then,”  
“This can go one of two ways,” said Kassandra, briskly interrupting him. “You can walk out of here with your lives. Or, you can meet your end here, in this little no-where forest.”

She eyed two of the bandits in front of her who were dawdling a little way away, out of sword-range. They had bows, but didn’t have the look of skilled marksmen, which was good in case she decided to make a break for it and trust her running-and-sneaking skills instead of fighting.

“I’ll take MY way!” declared the bandit leader. “Where I get to kill you and take that precious vase!” He raised his mace; Kassandra stood her ground, ready to counterattack.

And at that moment, when all eyes were on her, someone cried “Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” and a silver-green blur rammed into two of the bandits with a shield, sending them flying. It was Enyo, skidding skilfully across the uneven road with her great round shield up; she unsheathed her sword, pulling a flint across the blade as she did so, and suddenly the bandits were facing a blonde goddess of war with a flaming sword. And Kassandra.

Kassandra blocked a blow from the leader first, sending him staggering back; then she attacked the two archers first, their arrows being the most difficult to counter, even with six on two. One of the archers panicked as she charged him, and loosed an arrow into his comrade’s leg; she heard Enyo stab another bandit who then started to panic, not from the wound, but from the flames, so she took pity on them and sheathed her weapons. She rolled to avoid an arrow then landed a supremely amazing uppercut on the archer’s jaw; he stumbled and she pressed her advantage, sweeping his leg and punching him across the nose.

The other archer had decided to face off against Enyo; in a blink, Enyo had her bow out. Kassandra didn’t envy the bandit – Enyo was at least as good a shot as she was. She had three poison arrows notched while the other archer was still walking backward rapidly and blindly; assured that he would be taken care of, Kassandra turned to the other three bandits and proceeded to punch and kick them – blocking blows from their swords with her gauntlets or ducking and rolling out of the way – until they could no longer stand.

Breathing hard, Kassandra looked around to survey the result of the skirmish. None of the bandits were dead, although the two Enyo had fought were in the worst shape. Thankfully, the vase had survived untouched except for a little splattering of blood.

Kassandra knelt by the bandit leader. “I’m taking your valuables as a lesson. Don’t attack travellers on this road anymore. Don’t be here when I pass through again.”  
“Aaarghhh,” responded the leader, in too much pain to stand.

Kassandra checked her weapons while Enyo cleaned hers. Satisfied, she picked up the vase and they resumed their journey.

“Nice work on that archer. Although,” Kassandra took a questioning tone, “did you have to leave it until that late to attack? The vase was almost broken.”  
“I was confident in your skills, Kassandra. Anyway, you needed to punch someone. You haven’t knocked someone out in a fight for over a week.”  
“You’ve been… counting?”  
“That’s why you were so tense last night.”  
“You think – no, that’s not why I was so tense last night. I was _tense_,” stated Kassandra, stopping for a moment, “because someone was sending me very mixed messages before we went to sleep.”

Enyo just - pouted at her. There was no other word for that expression, and rather annoyingly, she looked very cute while doing so. Kassandra mentally waved a hand dismissively and kept walking.

They managed to reach the next village without further drama and walked to the main square. A woman in a striped blue dress was standing expectantly by the bounty board. She started forward when she saw Kassandra carrying the vase, but upon seeing Enyo as well, drew back in fear somewhat. Kassandra set down the heavy vase with relief.

“Hermione? Here it is. As promised.”  
“Misthios, I thought you took the job alone! I, I only have enough to pay you, this is all I have!”  
Kassandra stared at her, confused. Enyo leaned over and hissed, “she thinks I’m a mercenary too, that you’ve brought me along to intimidate her into paying double.”

“Oh no! No, I’m sorry Hermione, don’t worry. This, is not a mercenary-“  
“But she’s wearing armour and carries a sword!” said Hermione, almost physically cowering.  
“No, I’m not a mercenary, I’m her girlfriend.” Said Enyo, reassuringly, slipping an arm around Kassandra’s waist.  
“Oh. Oh! Oh really. Well – well here you go!” Hermione almost tossed the coin pouch at Kassandra, and stood behind the vase, apparently hoping to be protected by its bulk.  
“Come on, 'Sandra, let’s go.” Said Enyo, leading Kassandra away by the hand.

Kassandra turned back once to smile reassuringly and wave at Hermione, but the woman just jumped at the eye contact again.

Out of the village, Kassandra turned to Enyo. “Okay, you can stop holding my hand now.”  
“Well, yes, physically I could. But I like holding your hand.”  
“Okay good… You can stop.”  
“No, I don’t think I will.” Enyo smiled up at the clouds crossing the sky and kept walking.

“No really, what are you doing?” asked Kassandra, ten seconds later, unused to the physical connection.  
“What I am doing,” said Enyo, stopping for a moment to look Kassandra in the eye, “is saying that I am yours as you are mine.”  
“Oh.” Kass was basically speechless. She stared at Enyo – her familiar face, her messy hair, her armour and her sword and her shield.

Enyo took her other hand in hers as well. “If you, you know… if you’ll have me. I just thought after last night…” she let the words trail away, looking down at her feet.  
“Last night… is something that I do. Sometimes. But not everyone sticks around.” Kassandra freed her hand and gestured with it. “You know what kind of life I live – we live. Tomorrow I might be dead at the hands of a bandit.” She indicated the forest, reminiscent of their recent scuffle with the bandits. “ – Or you might be. Or I might have to travel, far far away. I’m not – I’m not used to this.”  
“Well, I’ll stay with you, as long as I can,” promised Enyo, squeezing Kass’s hands.

“What happened last night? I mean, why did you go to sleep first?”  
Enyo stared evenly at Kassandra. “I thought you really did want to leave first thing in the morning. And there’s nothing better for travelling or fighting than a good night’s sleep.”  
Kassandra, who rarely slept the entire night, heartily disagreed, but that wasn’t what she was thinking about.

Her expression must have conveyed her uncertainty, because Enyo then raised her hand, traced it through Kass’s hair down to her temple, then trailed it down her jaw to cradle her chin, and pulled her in gently, so gently, for a soft, long kiss. Kassandra closed her eyes instinctively, her arms finding Enyo’s neck.

She felt warm, warm - and restful.

When they broke apart and Kassandra opened her eyes, Enyo was still gazing steadily at Kassandra.  
“You’re mine?” asked Kassandra, slightly tightening her arms around Enyo’s neck.  
“I’m yours.” Replied Enyo, her arms firmly around Kass’s waist. 

They resumed walking.

“Though while we’re being honest – my legs are tired and it is a LONG way back to Aura’s village,” said Enyo.  
“I should call Phobos then.”  
“Yes. You should call Phobos.”  
“Sure.” Kassandra whistled and not half a minute later, Phobos gracefully galloped down the road, dipping his head in anticipation of a pat or perhaps another apple. 

“Here,” said Enyo, unwinding a length of leather from her waist, “I took this from one of the bandits earlier.” She started tying it to Phobos’s saddle; and Kassandra watched but had still no clue what she was doing – until she finished, unslung her shield, and hung it from the new belt  
“Now, you climb on behind me,” said Enyo, and Kassandra hopped on, excitement rising, “and you can hold on to me now.”

They set off – Phobos trotting along, Enyo reins in hand, and Kassandra with her arms around Enyo’s waist, leaning against her back, holding her close, planting the occasional kiss in her hair, trying to live in the moment.

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up being much longer than I intended but I felt I had to include everything here in order for it to make sense. Thank you for bearing with me while I took ages to finish it!


End file.
